


soccer moms

by starbornvalkyrie



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26505517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbornvalkyrie/pseuds/starbornvalkyrie
Summary: based off the following headcanon of mine:Cassian is the "you're doing great, sweetie!" kind of dad, while Nesta is the "you didn't get hit THAT hard, get back up!" kind of mom.
Relationships: Nesta Archeron/Cassian
Kudos: 26





	soccer moms

Joana Soldato loves her father. The kind of all-consuming, unconditional love a girl reserves for that special person in her life. It had been the two of them since she was born - her mother died during childbirth - and she’s never had a better friend than her dad. She doesn’t know a time he hasn’t been there for her. He has always been her number one supporter, and she absolutely loves it.

Most of the time.

“Gooo, Jo! You’re doing so great, sweetie! That’s my daughter! Right there on the bench with the water bottle! You do that hydrating, Number 7!! Go, Jo! Go, Jo! Go, Jo!” Her dad’s booming voice somehow has the ability to reach the team’s bench from the bleachers on the other side of the soccer field.

Mentioning her dad is  _ the _ Cassian Soldato, Commander of the Prythian Air Force, usually elicits looks of awe and reverence. “Oh, how special it must be to be his daughter,” they say. Oh, it’s special alright. Those people have obviously never been to a Prythian High soccer game.

Joana did her best to ignore him, fixing her attention on the girl running off the field to sit next to her on the bench. Joana handed her a water bottle and waited until she drank two large gulps before snatching it back. Francesca Archeron - Cheska to everyone she dubs worthy enough - is the biggest pain in her ass. Her skills on the field are the only ones that rival Joana’s, and this year their rivalry meant something: becoming Captain of the Prythian High girls varsity soccer team.

As a soccer player, Joana hated Cheska with everything she had.

As an only child, she was also her best friend. After her dad, of course.

“Damn, Jo. Your dad’s really going at it today.” Joana risked a glance in her dad’s direction. Even though she couldn’t actually see them, she knew the exact moment her hazel eyes locked with his. He immediately started screaming for Joana, jumping up and down, jostling parents around him. It was so like him to make a scene even when she wasn’t even playing.

Joana looked back at her friend and said, “Yeah, well, at least my dad supports me. When you bumped heads with that Hybern mid last week, she yelled at you for having a mild concussion.” Cheska winced but her eyes shone with delight.

“But at least my mom has some air of dignity.  _ Your _ dad looks like he’s a kid in a bounce house,” she retorted.

They laughed and turned back to the parents on the bleachers. Their laughs faded, and they watched in horror as Cassian Soldato - the most feared, strict, and rigid commander on Prythian Air Force Base - tripped over his own feet, spilling the container of nachos he was holding all over the woman in front of him.

The two girls stood up, horror morphing into amusement, as Nesta Archeron started cursing and yelling at Joana’s dad so loudly that the opposing team’s goalie got distracted. One of the team’s star forwards, Vanessa, took the opportunity and shot the ball into the upper left corner of the net, winning the game for Prythian High.

Joana did her due diligence and cheered with her team but didn’t linger after shaking hands with the other team. She immediately made a beeline for her dad, Cheska trailing behind her. But as they got to the bleachers, they realized their parents were nowhere to be seen.

“Maybe Aunt Nes went to clean up in the bathroom?” Joana asked her best friend.

Cheska just nodded and they made their way in that direction, random people shouting, “Great game, ladies!” as they went. They were almost at the public restrooms when a girl with bright red hair called after them, “Hey Joana! Francesca! Congratulations, I’m so happy for you guys!”

Confused, Joana replied, “Uh… thanks? What for? We’re only halfway through the season still.”

The red-head, Malia Vanserra - Lucien Vanserra’s daughter - furrowed her brows. “What are you talking about? I was congratulating your guys’ parents! How long have they been together?”

Cheska and Joana stared at Malia, mouths hanging open, completely dumbfounded. Cassian Soldato and Nesta Archeron were  _ not _ together. Her whole life, Aunt Nesta and her dad were at each other’s throats. They’ve had Friday night dinners with Aunt Nesta’s sisters and their families every single week since before Joana was born, and almost every single dinner has had at least one argument between her dad and Aunt Nes.

Joana looked at her best friend and found a matching look of disbelief and wariness on her face. Malia is not a credible source of information. Her dad is okay, but she’s extremely close to Lucien’s best friend, Tamlin I-Don’t-Even-Know-His-Last-Name-Nor-Do-I-Care-To. Their parents have always warned them to stay away from Tamlin, and for good reason. It seems his manipulative nature has rubbed off on his “niece”.

“That’s really funny, Malia. Everyone knows our parents hate each other. Did you not see my dad spill nachos all over Aunt Nesta?”

Malia only smirked, crossed her arms, and began walking away. Joana thought that was the end of that, but at the last second, Malia called over her shoulder, “Might wanna hurry to the women’s restroom, then.”

Joana met Cheska’s eyes and asked,  _ What the fuck? _ In that special telepathic way they’ve perfected since they learned to talk. They continued their way to the restrooms, walking a little faster than before. When they finally made it, no one was near the sinks, but there was the unmistakable sound of people making out coming from the largest stall.

Cheska gagged, and Joana barked out a laugh. The kissing noises ceased.

Cheska, always the one to fill a silence, called, “Mom? Are you okay? Do you need help getting cheese out of your hair?”

Joana stifled her laugh, waiting to see how they were going to respond. There was inaudible whispering coming from the stall, no doubt an argument about what to do next. In the end, Joana had to guess that Aunt Nesta won because the stall unlocked and opened. Her dad walked out first, rubbing the back of his neck, staring at the floor.

Cassian stopped just outside of the stall, which pissed off Aunt Nesta. She shoved him out the rest of the way, and said, “Hey, girls.”

“Mom? Uncle Cassian? What? How? Since when? Why didn’t you tell us?  _ Uncle Cass? _ ” Cheska blurted.

Undeterred by her daughter’s rapid fire questioning and the congealed cheese still stuck on the top of her head, Aunt Nesta replied, “I know how this looks, but we were waiting for the right time to tell you.” She elbowed Joana’s dad, prompting him to elaborate. He finally looked at Joana. The hazel eyes that were twin to her own, but Joana was surprised to find her father’s were filled with wary sadness.

“Jo…” He crossed the floor and took her by the hands. “Sweetheart, it’s been you and me against the world for so, so long. You obviously know I’ve dated here and there since, since your mom, but nothing serious. But this? What I’ve just begun with your Aunt Nesta--” He glanced over his shoulder at the woman in question. The corner of her mouth turned up ever so slightly, encouraging him. “What we’ve just begun to scratch the surface of, this is serious.”

He paused to take a steadying breath. Voice thick with emotion, he continued, “I know how much you’ve always wanted to have a mom, and with how close you are to Cheska, I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” Joana didn’t even realize she was crying until her dad reached up to cup her face in his big hands to wipe away a tear. “I don’t want to take that away from you again.”

“Dad.” He closed his eyes, and this time it was Joana’s turn to wipe his tears. “Daddy, I love you so, so much. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy. I’ll admit that, yeah, I sometimes wish I had mom to teach me about my period, instead of my tough, macho dad.” He released a small laugh. “But like you said, it’s been you and me against the world for almost seventeen years. You’re all I’ve ever needed.” He finally looked back at her.

“You will always be it for me, dad. But I’ll be leaving for college in two years. You deserve someone to be it for you, too. And dad, come on. Aunt Nes?” Joana leaned in, and with a conspiratorial whisper, she said, “She’s way hotter than anyone else you’ve dated.”

This time, Cassian laughed that deep belly laugh she loved so much and wrapped her in a tight hug. After she caught her breath she said, “Seriously, dad. If Aunt Nesta makes you happy, I’m all for it.”

Over her dad’s shoulder, she saw Cheska walk towards her mother. “And you, mom? Does Uncle Cassian make you happy?”

Her dad put his arm around her shoulders, and turned around so he could look at Aunt Nesta. When she responded, their eye contact didn’t break. “Yeah. Yeah, he makes me very happy.”

Joana looked up at her father, her rock, her everything, and saw the goofiest grin she’s ever seen. Joana turned back to Cheska.

With her eyes, she asked,  _ Well, what do you think? _

Cheska’s face was thoughtful for a moment before she began to smile.

Her best friend nodded at her, and in perfect synchrony, they exclaimed, “WE’RE GONNA BE SISTERS!!”


End file.
